New Girl Around
by waiting4ubeth.bo
Summary: Tracy Beaker Returns Series 2 When new girl, Lucy McDain, gets sent to the Dumping Ground, she doesn't exactly seem to be a friendly case. Always kept to herself and always afraid. When Tracy gets into an accident and is sent to A&E, the fingers point to Lucy.
1. Chapter 1

"Don't worry, we'll take good care of you." Mike smiled to the 15 year old before him. The girl, around 5"6, offered a weak smile as a reply. She wore a white vest top with a rainbow-checkered jacket on top, also she wore black shorts which met half way down her thighs.

Her hair was straight, a light-brown/dark-blonde shade and she had rare, emerald eyes which could glow in the dark. She had pale skin which was blue from bruises. "Thanks... Where should I put my stuff?" She questioned knowing her large black and pink suitcase was in sight by the door. "I've brought a lot of my art things as well, in the car." She looked at her hands, fiddling with her nails.

"Oh that's fine!" Mike offered cheerfully. "I'll take your suitcase upstairs. Your room is the one with the yellow door upstairs, alright?"

"Yeah, okay... Am I sharing with anyone?" She knew what questions to ask, she didn't hesitate in asking them either.

"No, if you'd prefer to then -"

"No! No I'm fine - or well, better alone." She looked up, her eyes red from the rough night so far. It was 3 am by now.

"Well then, how about you unpack then get some rest." Mike wasn't used to such late night but he understood as to why.

"Right..." She walked out with her social worker following to the car to collect her other things.

*R*R*R*R*

The next morning, Tracy came into work, her usual peppy self. "Morning." She smirked to Mike as she entered the office, hanging up her coat.

"Ah! Tracy! You're here." Mike looked much more tired compared to most other days.

"Mike, you look terrible." Tracy chuckled slightly "Did the kids give you trouble last night?" She checked the mail smiling.

"Actually, our newest member decided to arrive at 3 a.m. last night." Mike explained rubbing his eyes. "She's asleep right now so could you just make sure everyone helps keep it that way. She's had a rough time."

"A new person at the dumping ground?" Tracy stared amazed at the man. "What's her name?" She questioned picking up on the references to them being a 'she'.

"Her name is Lucy McDain." Mike sighed "She was brought here because she was suffering abuse from her father."

Tracy stared horrified. "What about her mother?"

Mike looked up at the terrified girl giving a look of regret "Deceased." He stated.

To their unknowing, nearly all the kids of the Elmtree were listening in, except for Sapphire and Harry, aghast from what they just heard. They snuck off to the lounge where they spoke freely.

"A new girl?" Carmon smiled excited.

"Didn't you hear her story?" Johnny stated "Wonder what abuse happened to her?..."

"It must've been horrible." Tee looked up to her brother.

"Lets just give her some time to sleep." Lilly suggested with the three nodding in agreement.

"Right." Electra agreed eventually only for everyone to suddenly hear footsteps coming from the stairs. They made the assumption of it being Sapphire and/or Harry only to see a girl in a yellow, puffy dressing gown and plain, pink slippers hurrying down.  
Lucy froze in her place looking at all the people staring up at her. They all stared back. No one spoke until Carmon broke the silence with a muffled question which began a wave of questions and statements from all the kids.

McDain stared amazed at all the kids. Amazed and terrified. She felt sick in her stomach and the room span. The office door broke open with Mike, Tracy and eventually Gina emerging. "QUIET!" Gina ordered loudly and the room fell silent. Her loud, booming voice shook Lucy and she backed up against the wall, tripping over her own feet and landing on her behind, hitting her back against the stairs.

"You okay?" Tracy asked hurrying to her side.

Lucy smiled stoking her hair awkwardly "I'm fine."

She looked up at the girl with raven hair who offered an introduction "I'm Tracy, Tracy Beaker. You must be Lucy, right?"

"Um, yeah." She smiled more revealing her pink braces to Tracy who smiled back. Tracy offered her hand and helped Lucy up. "Um, could I get some tea? - Or don't you do that here?"

"We have exactly 32 teabags left." Gus pointed out, his pen in one hand, a notebook in the other.

"I'll show you to the kitchen." Beaker smiled leading the way.

With Lucy and Tracy out of the room, Mike pointed to the children. "Listen you lot, be on your best behaviour around her. She has suffered a lot - especially this last week, so play nice." Mike explained before going back to his office. Gina followed glaring at the kids for frightening her.

With Mike and Gina out the way, all the kids began to gossip rushing over to the kitchen where Tracy and Lucy sat at the counter waiting for the kettle to boil. "Don't you want to get some more sleep?" Tracy offered "You arrived about 3 didn't you?" She showed concern all over her face.

"Nah, I'm awake after a cuppa." Lucy smiled pulling her hair out of her face looking to her hidden legs. Beneath the dressing gown she wore polka dot cotton trousers and the save vest. "Um, Tracy, after tea" She looked back up "Could you maybe show me to the shower?"

"Yeah sure, heck, once your dressed and ready I'll give you the grand tour!" She proclaimed chuckling after. She poured the hot water into two cups and handed Lucy some milk and sugar.

McDain made her tea to her liking and blew the hot water. "Aren't you hungry?" Tee asked entering smiling.

"This is Tee, she doesn't bite, don't worry." Tracy explained taking her seat.

"Oh right, um and no not really." Lucy explained tapping her cup. Tee nodded observing the girl then looking to Tracy.

Tracy looked down to Lucy who was seemingly growing smaller. "Hey Lucy? You alright?" Beaker touched Lucy's shoulder which made her shudder and push herself away from Tracy, knocking her tea over in the process, spilling the hot liquid onto her hand.

"Ouch!" She yelped holding her hand close to her chest hiding it with her other hand.

"Put it under some cold water!" Tracy called knowing not to touch her again. Instead she rushed over to the tap and ran the water cold. Lucy stuck her hand under, her face red from embarrassment. "You okay Lucy?"

"Ye-yeah... I'm sorry." She wiped tears from her eyes before they fell.

"It's nothing, only a little spill." Tracy turned round to see the others staring.

Johnny stepped forward "I'll clean it up." he claimed grabbing the towel and spray.

"No I'll do it. It's my fault." Lucy turned with warped eyebrows and red eyes.

"No I will. You're hurt." Johnny pressed already cleaning up the spillage.

Before Lucy could tell him to stop Tracy informed her "He won't stop, he's too nice."

"I'm Johnny, Tee's brother." he explained already done with the cleaning.

"Right, hi. I'm Lucy." She explained removing her hand from the water. "It's fine. Just me over reacting." Lucy chuckled rubbing her sore hand.

"You sure?" Beaker pressed on. "Maybe you should let Mike take a look at it."

"Nah, it'll be fine after I've showered, okay?" Lucy raised an eyebrow looking down at Tracy with a smirk on her face.

"Right." Tracy smiled "I'll lead the way."


	2. Chapter 2

Lucy stood before a mirror attached to her bedroom wall. She was in some shorts and a t-shirt with her hair wrapped up by a towel. She stared at the mirror trying to smile, she must've looked mad. She soon dropped the smile and sighed looking at her battered arms and legs. She quickly plugged in her black hairdryer and unwrapped the towel. She grabbed her hairbrush from the drawers top and brushed it through before drying.

Her room was bare with pastel blue walls and a yellow carpet for colour. Her furniture was plain wood and her bed was just a metal base with springs, pink and purple bedding making it seem more welcoming. However, it wasn't touched, she hadn't slept one bit. She had tried countless times but her mind wouldn't stop playing back the memories of her past.

She would usually be alone in her old room. It was pink and frilly - a classic girl's dream room. But then her father would charge in and would hit her, punch her, kicked her. Strangle her.

Her mind snapped back to reality. Her fingers were feeling marks on her neck which was usually hidden by her hair. She wiped the tears away reminding herself that she was safe. She finished drying her naturally straight hair and brushed it through a few more times.

A gentle knock at the door made her body twitch. "It's me, Tracy. Can I come in?" The voice was kind.

"Yeah, sure." Lucy agreed before sitting on her bed putting on her jacket, hiding her arms. She bent down to do her socks and shoes as Tracy entered.

"How's your hand?" She offered a smile by the door.

"A-Okay." Lucy smiled looking up to Tracy.

Tracy wandered in looking around spotting the small area dedicated to her art supplies in the corner. "Do you like art then?"

"Yeah... I wanted to sell some pieces but... they're gone now." Lucy sighed finished lacing her convers. She stood up stretching.

Tracy frowned looking at her legs. "Did your Dad do that to you?..." She couldn't help but question with fear.

"Yeah... He did." Lucy looked down at her legs, tears threatening to fall. "He would beat me a lot... For no good reason..." McDain wiped her eyes and stood. "Um, so the 'grand tour' eh?" She smiled down to the girl.

"Right..." Tracy understood the sudden change of subject and cleared her throat. "Well then let the tour begin." She smiled showing Lucy the way out.

They began walking down the hall only to be welcomed by an over excited Carmen and Lily. "You're Lucy right?"

"How's your hand? You burned it right?" Lily questioned.

"I'm Lucy yes and yeah, it's fine." She showed her hand to the girls which was perfectly fine.

Carmen smiled "Good, hey why don't you come play with us?" She giggled holding out her hand.

"Well Tracy is actually going to show me around first." Lucy explained looking over to the shorter/older girl.

"Well then... how about after?" Carmen tried giggling nudging Lily.

"Yeah!" Lily smiled.

"Uh, sure." Lucy giggled looking down at the girls. They were much shorter in comparison, in fact Lucy was only slightly shorter than Mike.

"I don't think my clothes would fit you very well." Carmen suggested frowning. "We could play dress up with your things if you'd like?" She beamed happily.

"Uh, maybe?" Lucy raised an eyebrow showing a polite half-smile.

"Great! C'mon Lily, lets go play." Carmen dragged her friend to her room feeling the awkwardness approach.

"Lily and Carmen, those two are practically inseparable." Beaker explained chuckling.

"Right." McDain smiled more comfortably to Tracy. Beaker smiled back and began walking through the building explaining where everything was and who lives where.

*R*R*R*R*

They eventually reached the end of their tour in the lounge where the two sat with a couple of drinks in their hands. Tracy sat next to Lucy and drank some of her juice. "So, what'd'you think of the place?"

"It's nice. Big." She drank some juice looking around the lounge. It was quite messy but decent enough to see the floor at least. "Say, um... I was thinking that maybe I could g-"

Her words were cut off from the classic Electra/Liam loud dispute coming from the hall. "LIAM! GET YOUR BUTT BACK HERE!" Electra screamed chasing him.

Liam laughed and jumped into the lounge, behind the sofa. "Come on then, I mean, if you really did care about your 'journal' then you'd actually come and get it." Liam chuckled skipping into a random page "So I was out in town today and I met this guy called Mark. His eyes were chocolate which made my heart melt!" Liam yelled to the very angry Electra growling at the door.

"I'll KILL YOU LIAM."

Lucy's hand felt her neck and her eyes went wide. She stood up without realising barely breathing, her heart pounding hard against her chest. "Lucy?" Tracy questioned worried standing beside her, gently placing her hands on shoulders.

Lucy strained to stare Tracy in the eyes, twitching her body away, before she collapsed backwards. "LUCY?!" Tracy screamed catching the girl.  
Suddenly a crowd surrounded them featuring; Mike, Tee, Carmen, Electra, Liam, Gus, Sapphire and Harry. Mike hurrying over to the girl's side checking her pulse.

*R*R*R*R*

Half an hour later Lucy awoke in her bed without a clue as to why or how.

"Hey, nice to see you awake." Mike smiled with Tracy beside him. "You had a panic attack." He explained, his hands holding each other.

"A panic attack?... Wouldn't be the first." She admitted hiding her eyes with her arm, shutting them trying to relax.

"That wasn't in her file..." Tracy whispered to Mike who nodded in agreement.

"Listen, Lucy... We understand that physical contact must be hard for you due to your past... but we hope that eventually you'll open up to us. You're safe, okay?" Mike smiled to her, her eyes looking to him ever so slightly while her arm hid the majority.

"I'm sorry." She sniffled. "I'm being such a pain already..." She rolled to her side slightly feeling more comfortable.

"No, you haven't been a 'pain'. You've gone through a lot. If anything, you're doing very well." Mike comforted in a calm, soothing voice.

She was shaking from the tears which fell. "No, I have. I'm so pathetic." She took a shaky breath "I promise I'll be better... I promise..." She cried.

All Tracy wanted to do was hug her and tell her everything would be alright but she knew that it would be a long process. "Lucy, you're not pathetic, you're strong and you'll get stronger, okay?" She told her, her hands squashing her own knees.

"Sorry..." Lucy calmed herself down and forced-stopped the crying. "I know, I know. I'm okay here... just when she threatened him like that... and yeah the contact... I don't know..." She moved her arm revealing her red eyes. "It was just a bit overwhelming... Panic attacks always trigger negative thoughts for me personally." She explained sitting up slowly.

"Shh, just get some rest. Tea will be made at 6 but we'll save you a plate to heat up for when you're ready." Mike stood up smiling, Lucy laying back down, her body too shaken to do much more. "Tracy will stay with you until you're asleep if you'd like... Lucy?" By the time Mike had even finished his sentence, the girl was fast asleep over the covers. He took a blanket and placed it on top of her. "Make sure those lot understand the situation, okay Tracy?" Mike asked. "I've got some more paper work to do." She nodded in reply just before he left the room.

Tracy looked down to the sleeping child beside her. She stood up slowly and turned the lamp off. Leaving the room, she shut the door silently and tip-toed away.


End file.
